Cafe style snacks???

[confusedkim]

At my playgroup we have been advised that this style of snack time is the way forward. We like the idea but can't work out the best way to do it particularly as we only have a small room. Does anyone already have children helping themselves to snack when they're ready? how do you work it?
Any help would be great

[busybee]

We use a cafe style system and we are also in a small room we use a hexagon table all dressed with tablecloth and vase etc which seats 4 at a time and 1 member of staff who supervises all the time the snack for example could be croissant with a selection of spreads eg) jam butter. and choice of fruit.Milk and water in jugs. We set it up on the table and staff member will say cafe open the children then know to ask if they can have snack and be sent to wash hands before coming back taking their name of the snack board(this is to ensure we know who has had snack and who has not) pick them selves up a cup and plate and be seated they are shown a menu where they then make a choice and encouraged to pour own drink spread own butter etc when finished they ask to leave table and know to put their dirty dishes in the washing up bowl beside the table. Found it really good for encouraging social skills and made lots of observations. Hope iv explained it ok and hope it helps!!

[sarahnev707]

While I can see the benefits, I would be concerned that children are not sitting together at meal times.

It is difficult in today's society for many families to have their meals together and I use snack time as a time for us all to sit and share stories etc.

I wonder how much of this is being lost if children can wander up when they want rather than at a set time?

[DizzyDora]

I agree with sarahnev707. We are a very small setting sometimes only 8 children, so we do all sit down together at snack time. It's a social time for children and staff to chat together, we have some of our best conversations with the children during snack. That being said in a larger setting where you could get several children wanting snack at the same time there is still that social aspect. We do also have a snack table which seats 3 were children can help themselves to extra drinks or fruit at any time.
This cafe syle sounds great for large settings but not sure how well it would work for child minders or small settings as i think the children would lose a valuable social time.

we work in an in between way..
having one table for snacks set up , with an adult
a small group of children sit together for snack while rest of group plays,
when finished the child can leave to play and another joins the table...

we find children just come to fill the place when they notice an empty seat..
and we monitor it by names from self register used in exchange for the snack...
they know to wash hands before sitting down
If anyone does not come we offer and ask them if they want some, before closing the snack table..

Children pour own drinks from jugs, and select own snack from what is provided that day.. depending on what parents have given us as they supply the fruit for snack.


(we have from 8 to 19 children at a time)
This way they sit at a table in small groups, interact with an adult and children, can finish a task before coming and/or return to it afterwards, don't have to sit for long or wait for long periods. and if they don't want anything this is ok too.. not everyone wants food at the same time/ may have had a big breakfast / not feel hungry, and so long as a drink is always available they can help themselves when they want it.

I wanted to try this idea in our pre-school, but decided against it as i like the idea of everyone sitting at the same time. We now have three - four tables depending on the number of children present with 5-6 children at each with an adult. The children help to set the table, snack is then placed in the middle of each table children then help themselves, they have a choice of drink which adults help the younger children to pour if necessary as they are only just over 2 years old. We find this works well, also giving children some self help skills. Usually when the children see the table being cleaned ready they all come to sit down without being asked. If we are late one day the children seem to have a sixth sense and ask when will toast etc. be ready.

[Brandy]

Originally Posted by noah

we work in an in between way..
having one table for snacks set up , with an adult
a small group of children sit together for snack while rest of group plays,
when finished the child can leave to play and another joins the table...

we find children just come to fill the place when they notice an empty seat..
and we monitor it by names from self register used in exchange for the snack...
they know to wash hands before sitting down
If anyone does not come we offer and ask them if they want some, before closing the snack table..

Children pour own drinks from jugs, and select own snack from what is provided that day.. depending on what parents have given us as they supply the fruit for snack.


(we have from 8 to 19 children at a time)
This way they sit at a table in small groups, interact with an adult and children, can finish a task before coming and/or return to it afterwards, don't have to sit for long or wait for long periods. and if they don't want anything this is ok too.. not everyone wants food at the same time/ may have had a big breakfast / not feel hungry, and so long as a drink is always available they can help themselves when they want it.

we do exactly the same and it works very well for us, we used to all sit down at once, but changed it to the running snack cafe style.

[SomeoneSpecial]

we have role on snack right after brakefast snack is put onto a table-bread sticks, fruit, dip, crackers etc (just whatever we have in) about 4 or 5 choices. also on the table is a washing up bowl, plates a jug of water and one of juce, also cups and a box of names. the children are allowed to go and get snack when they please but once they have it they put their name on the snack board and then are not allowed it again until the after noon.

the children have lunch as normal all together

and then snack is put out again

the children are very good at washing their hands and putting the snack on the plate and pouring their own drinks they also put their dishes in the washing up bowl and are all very good at putting up their names etc

hope this helps

[confusedkim]

Thank you for all your replies. We had a try of it today and it seemed to work well. The children all had positive feedback about it. We're trying to make sure we don't lose out on other aspects of snacktime by incorporating it elsewhere in the session e.g. sharing, turn taking etc

[Buzzybees]

glad it went well for you